Young and Old
by Amethyst Beloved
Summary: FINISHED! Prequel. Rika and Terada are quite an unusual couple. However, to understand their love one must understand their past. She's four and he's sixteen. What can they have in common? Sequel found in ch 4 of Thanks For The Memories.
1. Young

A/N: Wow! This is my last prequel! The only problem is that I don't know much about this couple, so I have to make up a few things that can be debatable. I want to thank all of those you reviewed Sapphire and Amethyst. But like my other prequels, I doubt that I'll write a sequel. The reason why I ended it like I did was because I felt sad for little Tomoyo. Anyway, official notes will be at the end.  
  
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Disclaimer: CCS belongs to CLAMP  
  
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Young and Old  
  
By Amethyst Beloved  
  
Chapter 1: Young  
  
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"Talking"  
  
'Thoughts'  
  
~*~(Next scene)~*~  
  
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On a Sunday afternoon in a big house nestled in the small town of Tomoeda sat a little girl. She was sitting quietly at the window seat with her hands placed one on top of each other resting on her lap. Her name was Rika Sasaki, and although she was only four-years-old, she seemed more...mature for her age.  
  
Her mother belonged to a sorority where all the women were sophisticated and in high-class society. Ms.Sasaki was either off at garden parties or charity events. She had no time to worry about a little girl. That was what the nanny was for. When Rika's mother was home, she was usually hosting garden parties of her own, and then she would allow her daughter to be exposed to the better things in life as long as she could keep her mouth shut and stay quiet. Therefore, the little girl learned that "children should be seen, and not heard" early on. Rika loved her mother like any devoted daughter, but it didn't occur to her that the special bond between a mother and her child just wasn't there.  
  
Maybe she was ignorant of the facts because she found the connection elsewhere.  
  
Rika's nanny, Kara, loved the little girl as if she was her own. She taught the youth everything she knew from cooking to baking to sewing. But the one lesson that Kara never dreamed of teaching influenced Rika the most. It was the lesson focusing on the passion of love.  
  
Kara's one true love lived outside of Tomoeda, and during her breaks, she would always sit in the corner and lose herself by either reading her love's letters or replying back. Then when Kara returned to her duties, Rika would intercept the letters for a little while. It wasn't long before Kara found out, but she didn't do anything about tit because not only she knew that Rika was a careful little girl, but also that children don't begin reading until the average age of five. There was one thing that Kara didn't remember. Rika Sasaki was not the average child.  
  
Kara has been Rika's nanny for a year. During that year, Rika would always see Kara either reading or writing when she's not working. That is why she taught herself how to read and write. She wished that one day she too would have someone to love, and then that someone would make her his wife. The best part was that Rika already knew how she would want her love to be like.  
  
The sound of the front door opening and closing snapped Rika away from her thoughts, and she jumped on her feet before swiftly rushing to the door.  
  
"Father!" she cried as she ran into the older man's outstretched arms. "I've missed you so much!"  
  
"Hello my little lady," he greeted. "What have you been up to since I last saw your darling face?"  
  
"Come in the kitchen, and I'll show you!" Rika answered as she tugged on his hand.  
  
Mr.Sasaki smiled fondly at his little girl. She was always up to something wonderful that usually ended up being something for him. From sewing stuffed animals to preparing lunch boxes, Rika always did everything she could for him.  
  
The man let out a bittersweet sigh. He liked to call her 'little lady' because she was the one who could take care of him. It was supposed to be the other way around. Rika should be the one who was flattered. But it wasn't that simple.  
  
While his wife was gallivanting with charity funds and parties, he was the one who was appointed as the breadwinner. It wasn't easy getting a job these days, especially a job as high paying as his. Mr.Sakai was always assuring himself that his job would not only secure his family's welfare, but also Rika's future. So all though he knew that he had to pay the price by traveling all the time, there was nothing more important than his daughter's well being.  
  
"Here's your surprise, Father!" announced Rika who unknowingly disrupted her father's train of thought.  
  
A smile grew on Mr.Sasaki's face as he rested his eyes on his favourite dessert.  
  
"Strawberry shortcake! Little lady, the extent of your talents never ceases to amaze me!"  
  
Rika giggled. Her father always liked to flourish his words. As she propped her elbows on the table, and rested her chin on top her palms, she took the time to study her father. He was a strong, well built man who still couldn't get over his favourite spiked hairstyle. Rika didn't mind because she loved the way it was neat, yet tousled. All though the early signs of aging, such as wrinkles around his eyes, were appearing, that still didn't erase the twinkle in his eye.  
  
"That was delicious, Rika!" her father praised making her beam. "You always know all the right ways to welcome me back. It's going to be hard leaving again next week."  
  
The little girl looked away as she let out a sigh that was hardly audible. Once again, her plan to make her father stay at home with her failed. She was running out of ideas. She thought that making him a lunchbox would make him realize the wonders of home cooked food, but that didn't work. She made him a teddy bear, thinking that it would remind him that he had to play with her, but that was fruitless as well. Now that the dessert plan fell through, she was back to the drawing board. Why doesn't her father appreciate all that she had done for him?  
  
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A/N: 1) In the anime and in the manga, Rika is always talking about her dad while she never says a word about her mom. That's why I decided that for this story Ms.Sasaki a sorority member. Because Rika is always the mature one of the group, I made her lady like qualities come from the garden parties that I made her attend. ^_~ 2) Rika is skilled in cooking, baking, and sewing. That's where her nanny comes in. So by the age of four, she was already in training to be a housewife! 3) I incorporated as much information that I know about Mr.Sasaki in this chapter. His work, his appearance, etc. Rika goes out of her way for her father because she wants him to stay home for a change.  
  
Chapter two comes out next week! Please review! 


	2. Old

A/N: Here's the second chapter, but before I begin, please pay attention to the warning:  
  
*WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MATURE SCENES (PG-13). READER'S DISCRETION IS ADVISED.*  
  
I'll talk to my reviewers at the end of this chapter, so you could stick around a bit after the notes long enough to find your name.  
  
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Disclaimer: CCS belongs to CLAMP  
  
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Young and Old  
  
By Amethyst Beloved  
  
Chapter 2: Old  
  
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Yoshiyuki Terada sighed as he stared down at the water slowly flowing underneath the bridge. Gazing down as his handsome features, he scowled and threw a rock directly below him to break apart the image, making it disappear from his sight.  
  
'What's the point of my good looks if no one cares about who I am inside?"  
  
Like any other teenager his age, he was in the process of adolescence. Definitely an awful stage that was full of confusion, decisions, trials and tribulations. If only he could stay younger a little longer. Then there wouldn't be any problems. As if that were to happen. What he really needed was a change of environment.  
  
Without being aware of it, Yoshiyuki's mind wandered to memories from an awkward event that only occurred a week before.  
  
* Last week *  
  
Having nothing else to do that night, Yoshiyuki decided to check out the new club opening party that everyone was raving about at school. Dressed in black jeans and a close-fitted white T-shirt, he didn't know what to expect. Little that he knew, a lot of girls at that party were expecting a lot from him. Yoshiyuki felt uncomfortable with all the seductive stares that he had been receiving, but there was only one girl who was brave enough to approach the most handsome person at the party.  
  
Yoshiyuki actually enjoyed her presence. She had a delightful personality and she was a charming conversationalist. Unfortunately, because she was a fan of the brew known as beer, her part of the conversation grew more and more incoherent with every drink that she took. When Yoshiyuki finally brought her home, she didn't want him to leave yet as she pinned him with a kiss when they were at her doorway, and pulled him inside. With hormones raging, he couldn't find it in himself to pull away. They landed heavily on the couch, and he assaulted her neck with frenzied embraces as she shimmied out of her shirt, and got rid of Yoshiyuki's top as well. As she pressed her newly revealed flesh against his stomach, he froze. Sharply pulling back, he saw a beautiful girl who was scantly dressed and ready to sleep with him. But he was able to see the truth in her glazed eyes. This girl was vulnerable, and no matter how insane his hormones were driving him, he knew that he would never forgive himself if he were to take advantage of a girl.  
  
"W-where are you going?" she asked as she watched Yoshiyuki pull himself away and slip on his shirt. "Don't you w-want me?"  
  
He took a deep breath as he made her lie down on the couch before covering her with a blanket to conceal her body.  
  
"This isn't right," he whispered as he dropped a feather-light kiss on her forehead. "Your first time should be special... as should mine."  
  
The teen hardly even finished what he was saying before she dozed off.  
  
"It's all for the best," he said to himself as he walked away. "I made the right decision."  
  
* End of Flashback *  
  
Snapping back to the present, he decided to continue his walk to clear his mind from that uncomfortable incident. Following wherever his feet wanted to take him, he ended up in front of his favourite school, Tomoeda Elementary. Why couldn't it be like the old days were there weren't any major decisions to make or choices to choose? Of course he made thee right decision that night, but what if the whole issue were to repeat itself? Would he be able to stop himself next time if a girl wasn't ready? If only he was able to just forget about his problems.  
  
"Hey Yosh!" called out one of his classmates from math class who was hanging around near Seiju High. "Come here and check out what we just bought!"  
  
Seeing that there was nothing better to do, Yoshiyuki joined his classmate, who was with two other guys from school. However, as he got closer to the group, a strange and unfamiliar scent invaded his sense of smell, and the new discovery made his stomach churn.  
  
"Hey, what's that sme-" Yoshiyuki was shocked when he saw for himself what exactly was the source of the stench.  
  
"Marijuana. You can't go wrong with sixty bucks. It's practically a steal!" said the teen that called him over.  
  
"We made one just for you pal," his friend added as he held out a joint. "Come on! What are you waiting for? Don't tell me that you've never tried it!"  
  
"Unless your scared!" laughed the third. "What are you, chicken? It's not as bad as everyone says it is!"  
  
Yoshiyuki glared at the trio.  
  
"No thank you," he said coldly. "Unlike you three, I want to do something important with my life instead of trashing I with drugs."  
  
With those words, he turned around to go to the one place where he was safe from his sorry excuse of a generation: home. If only he could escape from life as he it for just one day. He'd go practically anywhere as long as there weren't any others who were his age. If only they could just grow up.  
  
Ah, there's the complication. First he wished that he could be younger, and now he wanted others to be more mature. Does a mixture as unique even exist in a person? If only he were to know for sure. Then he would find her, and do all that he could to not let her go.  
  
To be continued...  
  
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A/N: Oh, I'm so embarrassed! Because we hardly know anything about Terada, please forgive me if my description doesn't fit with the character.  
  
1) First and foremost, not only am I against drugs and alcohol, but I can't stand it when people who are still in high school have sex. The flashback and the drug scene explain the trails and tribulations that Terada had to face as a teen. It's a reason why he wants the best of both worlds: innocence and maturity.  
  
2) I made his unconscious self bring him to Tomoeda Elementary, since he ends up becoming a teacher in the future.  
  
3) Notice the way that Terada wanted to be in a different environment? That's just a little hint about chapter three. ^_~  
  
Shout outs:  
  
u l t i m e c i a: Thank you so much! Not only for the E-mail and the additional review, but also your amazing suggestion.  
  
Ecuagirl: thanks for the E-mail too, and for the correction  
  
white cherry blossom: thanks for saying that chapter one was kawaii. I've always appreciated your reviews for all my chapters. I know chapter isn't as cute as my others, but I promise you cuteness for chapter three!  
  
Lttlwings: connecting my chapters to the facts is one of the reasons these prequels are so enjoyable to write. It takes a little bit of effort, but it's worth it.  
  
Megami No Hikari: it's always great to receive your support. That fact you noticed was briefly discussed at the end of Peacewish's Behind The Camera, and it helped sparked my interest in writing these prequels!  
  
white eternity: it's a pleasure to "meet" you. Like my other three prequels, this is a prequel of Card Captor Sakura in general. Since I already did it with S&S, E&T and T&C, it's only fair to do one about Rika and Terada too, even if I don't know much about them.  
  
emerald wolf: it's great to "see" you! Now you know how Terada comes in!  
  
silentlight: I'm glad you agree with my view of Rika. Yeah, Terada is Rika's fourth grade teacher.  
  
kawaii*berry: You don't have to apologize for the late review! Just the fact you reviewed was such a nice gesture.  
  
Shattered Midnight Dreams: I've had my fair share of ff.net problems too. _. I'm glad you're reading my story!  
  
PLEASE REVIEW!!! 


	3. Together

A/N: Sorry for the delay! Now that my brothers are home too, my computer time is getting shorter. _ Oh well. Enjoy!  
  
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Disclaimer: CCS belongs to CLAMP  
  
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Young and Old  
  
By Amethyst Beloved  
  
Chapter 3: Together  
  
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"Welcome Mina! It's so good to see you again!" gushed Mrs.Sasaki as Mrs.Terada arrived as a guest. "And who is this young man? My, my! You certainly look dashing in that suit of yours."  
  
"Thank you, Mrs.Sasaki," Yoshiyuki replied politely.  
  
After speaking to his mother about wanting a change in environment, Mrs.Terada suggested for him to attend a garden party. So he had nothing to lose as he got dressed up for the occasion.  
  
"My daughter is around here somewhere," continued the host. "But because she's only four, she's still too young to entertain. So feel free to walk around the grounds."  
  
"Thanks you," he repeated before slipping away.  
  
At least for the time being he could feel free to do what ever he pleased without being worried about running into anybody he knew and starting problems he didn't want. No one his age would be caught dead at a garden party, so he was able to relax.  
  
Now all he had to do was find something to do!  
  
~*~(Front porch)~*~  
  
All though Rika was dressed up for her mother's party, she didn't feel like joining in. Sure she had on her favourite white dress that flowed down to her ankles and moved freely with the breeze. But all she wanted to do was sit quietly with her hands folded on her lap like any lady would, and think about how she could get her father to stay home for good.  
  
"Lunch box, teddy bear, dessert," she listed out loud, ticking every idea so far on her fingers. "What haven't I done yet? Maybe I'll pick flowers for him!"  
  
Rika looked over to her mother's prized flowerbeds. There was a wide assortment, such as petunias, tulips, roses, marguerites...  
  
Wait! She wasn't the only one looking at the flowers. Someone else was there too. All Rika was able to see was the back of the person, but she felt that she already knew who it was. That suit, that hairstyle, that person. It just had to be her father!  
  
Rika ran up to the person admiring the marguerites, and wrapped her arms lovingly around his waist, and pressed her cheek against his hip.  
  
"Oh father! I can't believe you're back so soon!" the child cried out in bliss.  
  
Of course Rika's assumed father was no other than Yoshiyuki himself who was taken back with surprise with the girl's outburst. But surprise was quickly replaced with heat on his face and a fluttering sensation in his stomach. What was he feeling? He never experienced something like it before.  
  
"Father? Why aren't you saying any-"  
  
Rika was at loss of words when she lifted her head and saw that the person who she thought was her father was in fact someone who looked like him, and who was much younger.  
  
"Oh please forgive me!" exclaimed Rika as she bowed in apology. "I thought that you were someone else."  
  
For the first time, Yoshiyuki studied the youth standing in front of him. She looked so young, yet her vocabulary and her behaviour was much more mature for anyone her age. She surly was a beauty. She looked like an angel in her white dress, which radiated purity. Her cheeks were flushed with the recent events, and her head was bent down in embarrassment.  
  
"There, there. It's just a mistake," he said quietly as he crouched down in order to get down to her height. Gently he used the tips of his fingers to lift up her chin so he could look in her eyes.  
  
He was taken back with the deepness of her twin orbs. He didn't know why, but he could swear on the moon that her eyes were filled with both the innocence of a child and the maturity of a women.  
  
"I-I thought you were my father," she said as her eyes began to well with tears. "I just w-wanted him to come home!"  
  
"Shh, it's all right," he murmured. For some reason, it was paining his insides to see such a sweet child going through so much hurt.  
  
Before the tears overflowed, Yoshiyuki leaned forward to kiss them away. All though the gesture was harmless enough, it made his lips tingle and it brought blushes to both their faces.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked with her head tilted to the side.  
  
Yoshiyuki chuckled at the level of cuteness displayed in front of him.  
  
"Today I'll be your friend," he replied as he got up and outstretched his hand.  
  
"Would you like to take a walk?"  
  
Rika smiled as she slipped her little hand in his big one. Despite the sizes, it was a perfect fit.  
  
"Now what happened to your father, little one?" he asked as he led her down the rows of flowers.  
  
"He's always on business trips, and I hardly ever see him," she said sadly. "Sometimes I think he doesn't love me."  
  
"Of course he loves you," insisted Yoshiyuki. "Why do you think he works? He does it to earn money to send you to school."  
  
"I'll be going to school?" she asked as her eyes lit up in wonder. "I always like to learn new things."  
  
"Well, I'm sure if you try your hardest, you'll be the best."  
  
"You think so?" she persisted as she used both of her hands to cover his.  
  
Yoshiyuki's breath was caught in his throat. Why was her little gestures enough to feel flustered inside?  
  
"I know so," he replied.  
  
In the distance, a wild daisy caught his eye. Without thinking twice, he bent down to pluck the flower from the ground and gently tucked it behind the little girl's ear because it suited her dress perfectly.  
  
"You're so pretty," he said softly to himself as he stroked her hair. "If only you could be a little older. Then I'll never let you go."  
  
Meanwhile, Rika was enjoying the attention that the older boy was giving her. It made her feel as if she was worth something to someone. To express her gratitude, she leaned forward, and planted a kiss on his cheek.  
  
"What was that for?" he asked with a lopsided smile.  
  
"For liking me," she simply replied.  
  
Yoshiyuki could have spent the entire afternoon with the young girl, but he heard his mother calling him.  
  
"I have to go now," he sighed as he reclaimed his hand from her soft hair.  
  
"Will I ever see you again?" she asked.  
  
"I don't think I'll be back anytime soon," he confessed. "After meeting you, I finally know what I want to do with my life. I will make sure that I'll see you again. I promise."  
  
At first Rika was stunned with his promise, but then she beamed. He seemed sincere, and she felt that she could trust him.  
  
"I will never forget this day," she admitted with eyes as bright as the stars.  
  
Giving her hair one last stroke, he smiled and turned to walk away.  
  
'Neither will I, Miss Sasaki,' he thought to himself. 'Neither will I.'  
  
The End  
  
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A/N: I'd like to thank EcuaGirl, white cherry blossom, Dana Daidouji, sally, Angelic, KawaiinessPnay, Anime Queen, kawaii*berry, Lttlwings, ultimecia (thanks so much for the suggestion!!!), MEME, Shattered Midnight Dreams, emerald wolf, Jin, and last but definitely not least, the mysterious ?????????????????. Who are you? I left you a message in my bio because I'm too curious for my own good.  
  
Even though I said I wouldn't do it, I'm thinking about doing a one shot sequel for my prequels. In other words, I want to write about what happened before they actually met for the second time. For example, for S&S I'll right about Syaoran arriving to Japan while Sakura dreams about him. For R&T, I'll write about Rika being a new student in Terada's class of something. This is all hypothetically speaking. If no ones interested, I might not write abut it. If I do, it will be out (as usual) some time next week.  
  
PLEASE REVIEW EVERYONE!!! 


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